USF apartments are located in one of the largest cities in the state of Florida. Although there is a strong student community surrounding campus, many outsiders do not consider Tampa to be a “college town.”
Many popular universities are located in much smaller towns, such as Tallahassee and Gainesville. As a result, the region is generally made up of all students. These student communities are surrounded by centralized nightlife area, shopping centers and living areas. Although some argue that the smaller region helps to unify and strengthen the academic institution, if you enjoy eating out at new places and discovering new waterholes, these types of town can often be quite limiting.
Unlike most collegiate neighborhoods, USF apartments are scattered throughout the city. Some are located on campus, others just outside of the institution and some stretch as far as South Tampa. The most popular South Florida student community, however, is located just outside of the school's campus. This is due to several reasons. First, most of these USF apartments are within walking distance to school, allowing students to avoid spending time on looking for a parking spot. Secondly, many of these communities are very affordable. USF apartments just near campus are generally catered to the student budget, offering a handful of different floor-plans and payment options. Third, many of the University's sororities and fraternities live in this area, attracting those who attend the college to the area.
On the other hand, many upper classman tend to relocate from the campus region and take up space in South Tampa. South Tampa, also known as SoHo, is one of the city's most popular night life scenes. The twenty-one and up block of bars offers outdoor dining, live music and a variety of bars from clubs to pubs. Although these living communities may not be as accommodating to the ideal student living, they are located in the heart of nightlife, shopping and dinning. Homes in this area will be pricier and much older than those located in the college area, however, there is much more to do in this part of town. SoHo is closer to the beaches, downtown, and the airport. These living quarters will also have much more character to them than the newly built rooms on the other side of town. This part of Tampa, however, is a near twenty-five minute drive to school. If you are someone who has a packed academic schedule, this may not be the ideal commute for you.
Another concentrate college neighborhood is New Tampa. This neighborhood has become much more popular over the last few years and new nightspots and pubs have opened as a result of it. Homes will be newer here and may be slightly more affordable than South Tampa. The commute will only be five to ten minutes and the city and University Bus often makes stops to and from USF apartments and the Bulls campus throughout the day.
The least popular neighborhood for students attending the nearby University is probably North Tampa. Although there is much to do in this area and the commute is reasonable, many find that the family environment and lack of nightlife is not accommodating to a college lifestyle.